Sunday, January 09, 2011

From the Christmas Season to the Birthday season...we have our first of many Birthday Party Posts!

We alternate between big parties with friends and something a little more intimate so this year Lucy had her 2 closest friends over for a slumber party.

I bought some 11x14 Canvases and a bunch of acrylic paints (heavy on the pink and purple!) and we set up camp outside. Each girl had her own canvas to paint whatever she wanted and then we had a second canvas to make a special piece for all the girls to take home.

Ella had her own to paint as well, of course and we all had fun. The next door neighbors came over as well and helped wrangle hands and cups of water and trays of paint.

Our Special project was a Best Friends Hand Painting....each girl put their hand print on 3 different canvases and I painted them to look like flowers. They didn't turn out so bad considering I am not the artist in the family.

After the painting and the clean up, we moved onto our "Proper Tea Party," a phrase I used on our invitations that Lucy continued to use. But since no 5 and almost 6 year old is interested in cucumber sandwiches or anything like that, and because this tea party was also dinner, we traded crumpets and cakes for Bagel Bites, pigs in a blanket and mini quiches. We also had apple slices and sparkling apple cider in some super fancy martini glasses. We only had 1 spill and nothing broke. During the evening, Lucy was sure to instruct everyone on the proper manners while at the table and even made sure the conversation kept moving. "So Lindsay, tell me about one of your days at school this week?"

Ella got to eat with the girls as well but halfway through dinner realized that everyone was dressed up and begged David to get her a dress to wear.

Nathan might have noticed there was a party.....but I'm not sure.

After dining and a play break, it was time for dessert! This time we had meringue and teddy bear cookies and Shirley Temples! The girls were so delighted and kept toasting and saying "Proper tea party!"

After the sugar high wore off, the girls were ready to wind down and got all tucked into Lucy's room upstairs in front of "Alice in Wonderland." One by one they dropped off to sleep. Tomorrow morning there will be tons of giggling and noise and it will all be wonderful.

Now.....will someone be sure the clean up fairy is coming? Because this is serious!

Oh, I love this idea!!! I have been wondering what to do for my son's second birthday and I think I might steal the fingerpainting idea. We will probably not have many people come so this would mostly just be for him to do and then I could hang it in his room. :) The tea party is super adorable to!!!